Balancing Act
by boundenid
Summary: Peter Parker found it a lot harder to conceal his night time activities than he thought he would...or in which Parker has a lot of bruises he can't just explain away with the words 'skateboarding accident'
1. Chapter 1

**So I know you all thought this was a new chapter, but it isn't, so sorry...I'm turning into one of those authors I hate**

**So this is just me fixing the formatting problems, sorry about those, I posted from my computer instead of the laptop and the formatting is always weird after and I forgot to look it over. I will officially thank everyone when I post the next chapter.**

**Hopefully tomorrow evening (I'm going on a road trip, and I'm not driving so I will have several hours to just type out stories)**

**~Enid**

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**A/N:** So I have already watched the new Spider-Man movie three times, and let's just say I'm prepared to go several more times...

in the next few weeks. So, this is my first foray into writing the fanfiction, I've been stalking it since the Friday after the movie

came out, and have read at least on chapter of each of the fanfictions posted...it is a little unhealthy.

So I have several plot bunny ideas wrestling over my hands, and this one won, so expect many more coming up.

* * *

They talked about him at school, he knew, they all thought he was in a gang...or something. He laughed at the irony, the teachers talked as well, how to handle the nerdy kid turned problem student...he laughed at that to. Well, he would laugh if laughing didn't hurt so damn much...stupid ribs.

Gwen worried to, he could tell, more than the rest actually, she still cared, and that was what made this so damn hard because he knew that he would never be able to hurt her by separating himself, he could tear his heart apart for her father, if she didn't care he would do it. It was the longing glances she occasionally shot his way that would be his undoing, he felt it.

* * *

Glancing at the clock Peter realized he was already five minutes late for school, well not like it would make any difference. Grabbing his backpack he swung out the window and into the back alley. When he felt the hairs on his arms raise he swore, he didn't need this, not now, not when he was already late to school. He ducked behind a dumpster, and when he emerged, it was not Peter Parker but Spider-Man who appeared.

Scaling the wall he followed his instincts two buildings over and into an even smaller alley where there was a mugging in progress. The alley was about a meter across, so he could easily flip to the opposite wall and climb down so he was right next to the mugger's ear to say,"BOO"

It was comical the way he jumped at that, but Peter wasn't laughing because the criminal had turned as he jumped, slicing a gash through his suit and into skin...damn that hurt... a HELL of a lot.

Well if he hadn't been pissed of before he was now, making quick work of restraining the criminal he turned the victim,″ are you alright?″ he asked tentatively.

″I am unharmed,″ said an older woman, maybe a few years older than Aunt May.

″Umm, I hate to do this but could you call the police to pick this guy up, I'm running late for something,″ He asked awkwardly.

″Of course, and thank you.″

He ducked his head awkwardly then swung up to the roof where he had left his bag. Quickly stripping the mask off he then pulled his arms out of the suit so he could roll it down to reveal the knife wound. Wincing he poured an antiseptic he kept in his bag over it before slapping a gauze pad over it and winding it all round with an ACE bandage. Then he pulled the suit back up, leaving the mask off, and pulled his day clothes back on. Glancing at his watch he realized at this rate he'd be lucky to make it to second period within the first ten minutes of class.

* * *

Black hood pulled up over his head he slunk into his Math class, 25 minutes late.

″Mr. Parker, so nice of you to join us. Since you so obviously feel that you do no need to attend this class would you solve the problem on the board.″

Barely glancing up,″17 to the power of x times n,″ he muttered before turning away and attempted wind his way through the clutter of desks, backpacks, legs, and God knew what else between him and his seat.

″Mr. Parker, no hoods in class.″

Groaning inwardly he turned and deliberately pulled the hood off his head ignoring the gasps from the surrounding class. The left side of his face was a mottled mess of recent and half healed bruises, a few shallow scrapes traveled from his left temple down past his jaw, and strait to his neck where their were two vividly purple...and blue...and green...and black... hand shaped bruises from where a bank-robber had tried to strangle him the night before.

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**A/N:** there will be more, if this is accepted well, if not I will leave it as a one shot and just move on to other plot

bunnies vying for my attention

~Enid


	2. Questions

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I swear I sat down the day after I published the last chapter, but then those darned plot bunnies pulled me away to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, and it took me this long to wind my way back. I will try to update regularly, but I did just start my Junior year of High School and there is a crazy amount of work already. Thank you for all of your support, and for pointing out the formatting issues. I posted from my home computer instead of my laptop, and whenever I do that the formatting goes all funky. I forgot to check.**

**Thank you to everyone who commented/reviewed/read, but a special thanks to:**

**IHATEBACON**

**TheUpdateQueen**

**Chasing Liquor**

**scifinerd4lyfe**

**candyluvsu**

**And a Huge Amazing Thanks to **

_**BeautyandtheBeast101575**_

**~Enid**

* * *

″_Mr. Parker, no hoods in class.″_

_Groaning inwardly he turned and deliberately pulled the hood off his head ignoring the gasps from the surrounding class. The left side of his face was a mottled mess of recent and half healed bruises, a few shallow scrapes traveled from his left temple down past his jaw, and strait to his neck where their were two vividly purple...and blue...and green...and black... hand shaped bruises from where a bank-robber had tried to strangle him the night before._

″A word after class, Mr. Parker.″

Grunting a response Peter went back to navigating is way through the mass of desks, although it was easier than usual due to what appeared to be the entire class cringing away from him.

The lesson passed much quicker than Peter would have liked. Before he knew it the bell had rung and he was the only person left in the class room...well aside from Mr. Pexilton.

Reluctantly he stood up and meandered his way to the desk Mr. Pexilton was sitting at. Peter slouched to the side waiting for him to look up from whatever it was he was doing.″Sit Peter,″ he finally said with a pointed look to the stool he kept next to his desk for tutoring. ″How are you, Peter?″

Parker's eyes shot up, brow furrowing, it was clear that was not the question he had been expecting, "I'm fine."

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Mr. Parker, you have been late to school everyday for the last month, you're grades are slipping because you haven't turned in any of the homework, and you have bruise marks from where someone clearly tried to strangle you. Try again Mr. Parker, How are you?"

"I am doing the best I could possibly be doing," said Peter his eyes boring into Mr. Pexilton with more darkness and intensity than any teenager's eyes really had a right to achieve.

Slightly unsettled it took the teacher a few seconds to gather his wits," well then Mr. Parker, you understand I can't ignore this," he stated gesturing vaguely at Peter's neck. "Are you involved in any gangs?"

"No"

"Are you doing drugs?"

"No"

"Did anyone at school do this to you?"

"No"

"Did any relatives do this to you?"

"No"

"Mr. Parker, I can't help you if you won't trust me."

"Mr. Pexilton, I can not tell you how I came across these injuries, but I can tell you I am not harming other people," _well at least not anyone who doesn't deserve it_," I can tell you that I have a very good reason and therefore can not stop. And I can tell you that I am helping, Mr. Pexilton, I am helping people. And that after all is really the only thing that matters." With that Peter stood, pulling his hood over his head and ducked out into the hallway, he'd be late to his next class, but worse things had happened, worse things were always happening.

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**A/N:** So leave reviews, reviews sometimes make me update faster, and frankly I'm not sure where this is going, so if you have anything you really want to see just drop me a message and I will try to work it in.

~enid


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